Croaky voice

[Chellz82]

I have had a croaky voice for almost 2 months now. I have recently changed my preventor from flixotide to pulmicort as when I was on flixotide I was finding that I felt like I had to take deep breaths all the time. Once I swapped preventors it improved and has now been approximately 4 months and has come back. I feel like I have to yawn all the time to get a deep breath in. I have also had a croaky voice for nearly 2 months and can't figure out why. I work in child care and have not had any cold or flu symptoms. The only other thing I can think of is my protein shake - Atkins brand. I'm wondering if it would be an allergic reaction to something?

[moony3424]

My voice gets croaky when I'm on my nebulizer (using Duo-Neb).

[Chellz82]

Thanks!
I live in Brisbane and it's very humid, not dry. I think you might be right about the powder causing the croakiness. I will be going to my doctor to see if I can change it I think. Ventolin dosn't improve my breathing and no, I don't have a peak flow, but will ask the doctor for one. I do drink lots of water, especially when I exercise.

I was asking the pharmacist today and he wasn't sure either, but the lady standing next to me said she had the same problem and someone told her it was a kind of reflux.

Who knows!

[Tammy2009]

Ventolin shouldn't cause any voice change.  It probably is the pulmicort powder causing the croaky voice.  

You might be like me and the dry winter air is bugging your asthma.  I have been using pulmicort since last march and was working well until this past month.  I'm now on advair at the moment (not that it is doing much more than the pulmicort).  

Do you have a peak flow meter that you are using?  It might help to see any drop in lung function.  

Does the ventolin improve your breathing?  If it improves it (so you don't need to yawn to get air in) then your asthma probably needs an increase in steroid dosage.  If it doesn't then there might be something else going on.  

It doesn't sound like an allergy but make sure you are hydrated too so the muscous is thinner.

Good luck, if I find out anything that works for me I'll let you know.

[Chellz82]

I have always been on ventolin, so that shouldn't be the problem and pulmicort is a powder. I remember when i was younger that the powder ventolin I had made me cough, so now I take the spray.

[Tammy2009]

Also make sure you are gargling and rinsing your mouth well after taking the puffers.  If they are MDI you could try using a spacer.  

It probably is an irritation from the puffer use.